Is Garlic Good or Bad for Dogs?
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A quick survey of the internet shows many sites that talk about onions and garlic and being poisonous, even deadly to cats and dogs. On the same page, you will see ads for "Natural Garlic Supplements For Dogs" and sites that recommend garlics for flea prevention and general well-being. It is hard to know what to think.
Here is a pet health site from the American Animal Hospital Association that discusses poisons.
- HealthyPet.com - Prevent Poisonings
http://www.healthypet.com/library_view.aspx?id=133
Toward the bottom of that page, there is a specific list of poisonous materials. It lists garlic and onions as poisonous, even deadly, but only in a raw or spoiled form. So does that mean that cooked garlic is OK? What about garlic supplements that people are selling for pets?
We'd like to know what you think! What have been your experiences with garlic? What has your vet told you? Has anyone lost a pet due to garlic poisoning?
Please post your feedback below.
Feedback About This Post:
RE: Is Garlic Good or Bad for Dogs?
Onions are highly toxic to dogs due to the relatively high concentration of thiosulphate found in onions. Garlic, a relative of the onion, also contains thiosulphate, but in extremely limited quantities relative to onions. The fact that thiosulphate is present at all is the root cause of the "no garlic for Fido" school of thought. I have fed all my dogs garlic and they all have lived happy, healthy, long lives. Garlic helps to clean blood of toxins (none of my dogs have ever smelled like dogs since I started) and has other benefits. Garlic is good for dogs. Thiosulphate has to be present in concentration to affect dogs (and me I'm mildly allergic to the stuff and I eat garlic), much more concentrated than it is in garlic. Feeding dogs garlic is a personal choice. Like anything, moderation is the key but a small amount daily won't hurt and may help (my guys all weigh or have weighed around 100 lbs) and half a small clove a day has always been good.
Post by GavinBurgess
RE: Is Garlic Good or Bad for Dogs?
I have a new puppy who is now 9 weeks old. Is garlic safe for puppies and does anyone have any idea the amount that should be use? he is only 10 pounds. He has fleas and I would like to get rid of them for good.
Post by let91
What do you think
My dad has a dog, he is German Shepard and husky mix, he had never eaten only dog food. He eats scraps. What they had for dinner he eats to, if there isn't enough then they mix dog food in it, he gets anything they eat: meat, cheese, tomatoes, grapes, potatoes. If they ate it he did to (except chocolate). They don't use garlic a lot but they do use other things such as some spices and foods that everyone is told not to give their dogs and he has been with us for over 10 years. He's coat is shiny, his teeth are healthy, he runs non stop. I agree with several here that it could be the dog food killing our pets.
Even chocolate which is deadly, I agree is not bad for them to have 1 small piece (unless like one post where the dog was apparently allergic to it). I have let my toy rat terrier (4lbs) have a bite of chocolate cake before. Had to fight him off afterward but it didn't kill him. My big dog (have no idea what he is) who is around 50lbs i guess stole a whole chocolate cupcake once, and he did fine. The thing is moderation is the key and somethings, like chocolate, only very rarely give it; like once a year for Christmas :P.
Go with what you know and how you feel. if you feel bad about it don't do it. or best thing ask your vet if you really trust your vet go by what they tell you.
Post by majikruby
RE: Is Garlic Good or Bad for Dogs?
Well something is working. I started feeding my 2 dogs a garlic clove once a day. Here it is the 3rd day and noticed an improvement on their scratching. I am also giving them apple cider vinegar in their water, only one dog drinks it. also using white vinegar as a spray on them and in bath water. only one dog got the bath. I have a cocker spaniel and a part lab.(not sure on the other part). the spaniel was covered in fleas. I did the flea drops and flea collar bit. also used Sevin dust on them with no results. but since i started the garlic cloves and using vinegar no much scratching. I also spray my yard, porches and their bed with bug spray. Thanks for the good reports on using garlic. I will keep on giving them the cloves for a week then will cut back to once a week then twice a month then once a month. anyone have any suggestions on a schedule on giving them the garlic cloves?
Martha42
Post by Martha42
RE: Is Garlic Good or Bad for Dogs?
I tried the brewers yeast with garlic on my dogs because I don't like putting chemicals on my dogs. They soon had the worst case of fleas I have ever seen. I had to treat the yard, the carpet and the dogs to get rid of them. I then started giving them fresh garlic. It has been six months now and not a flea in sight and no reaction to the garlic. Garlic is far better than chemicals in the topical flea treatments like Frontline and Advantix.
Post by maquignon
RE: Is Garlic Good or Bad for Dogs?
I had a Lhasa that I cooked for & used garlic & onions in her "doggie meatloaf. She died of lymphoma before she was 9 years old. I later found out that onions & garlic, even garlic powder, reduces a dog's immune system. I will always wonder if I "killed her with kindness" because she loved the meatloaf with garlic & onions. Obviously her immune system could not fight off the lymph node cancer.
I now stick to the following info (also confirmed by my Vet) in feeding my Shih Tzu:
According to the ASPCA:
Foods to Avoid Feeding Your Pet
- Alcoholic beverages
- Avocado
- Chocolate (all forms)
- Coffee (all forms)
- Fatty foods
- Macadamia nuts
- Moldy or spoiled foods
- Onions, onion powder
- Raisins and grapes
- Salt
- Yeast dough
- Garlic
- Products sweetened with xylitol Wapite
Post by Wapite
RE: Is Garlic Good or Bad for Dogs?
While it seems like most people on this site seem to feel that garlic is fine to give to dogs, I would NOT choose to give it to my dogs. Garlic (from what I can tell, in any form) can cause Heinz bodies in a dog's red blood cells, and these Heinz bodies make the red blood cells more likely to break apart (or lyse). Ultimately, the dog can develop a hemolytic anemia which can be deadly. So is it possible that a dog could eat some garlic and be alright? Yes. Could it also cause severe illness, perhaps even death? Yes. For me, that's not a risk I'm willing to take.
One last comment: one poster commented that dogs generally have good sense about what they should/should not eat, so if you offer it to them and they eat it, it's alright. I would be very careful with going by this rule. My dogs will readily eat garlic, grapes, onions, and chocolate. All of these things could cause major problems. Furthermore, it's been reported time and time again that dogs LOVE the taste of antifreeze; something that in very small amounts can cause death in a very short time period. So while I do think that dogs generally have good instincts, I probably wouldn't use this as my gold-standard for whether or not it is harmful to them.
Post by Kitkat24
RE: Is Garlic Good or Bad for Dogs?
Hi, we have given all of our dogs brewer's yeast with garlic and garlic oil sofgels in their food every day. Two American Bulldogs for 13 and 11 years and now our Gordon Setter for 21 months. We never have flea trouble; rarely ticks on the AB's but the GS is outside a whole lot more so she gets Advatix too. The two AB's died of complications of old age.
Post by lisajoyp
RE: Is Garlic Good or Bad for Dogs?
I hope garlic is good for dogs cause my dogs love it so much we have to hide it from them.
Post by Lisafrequency
RE: Is Garlic Good or Bad for Dogs?
I use garlic powder mixed with soft food to get rid of worms in my dog. It works very well but the trick is to treat the animal according to the weight. I use one half tsp for dogs weighing under ten pounds once every ten to fourteen days.
Post By corwin (Guest Post)
RE: Is Garlic Good or Bad for Dogs?
I use garlic powder mixed with soft food to get rid of worms in my dog. It works very well but the trick is to treat the animal according to the weight. I use one half tsp for dogs weighing under ten pounds once every ten to fourteen days.
Post By corwin (Guest Post)
RE: Is Garlic Good or Bad for Dogs?
I got to this page by researching whether garlic is indeed toxic. I have a 10-pound puppy who is 9 months old. About 24 hours ago during a play date at a friend's house, he discovered the spot where my friend had poured out an entire bottle of olive oil with, according to her, about 15 raw garlic cloves. He apparently ate them all. He reeks to high heaven and drank quite a bit of water afterward, but he didn't get sick (I've been watching him very closely) and seems to be eating, drinking, and playing normally now. I would never purposely give any creature that much garlic, but he is fine.
Post By Lucky Owner (Guest Post)
RE: Is Garlic Good or Bad for Dogs?
I feed my dog organix dog food because I feel that its the closest natural store bought dry dog food I can get. I often mix it with garlic because i have heard how beneficial garlic is at preventing fleas. I would like to cook for my dog but I am afraid that I would not end up feeding him a balanced diet with all the ingredients that are essential to him. Does anyone have a brand of dog food or a dog food recipe that you all would recommend and/or has worked for you?
Post By (Guest Post)
RE: Is Garlic Good or Bad for Dogs?
I've been makings my dogs food for the last several years - I have 3. One is a Lab/Aussie mix, one a Lab/Springer mix and one an American Eskimo. I usually use ground turkey, oats, eggs, Brewer's Yeast, Bone Meal Powder, Seaweed Powder, Vitamin C, and garlic. They have been very healthy and they NEVER get fleas.
However, just recently, the Lab/Aussie got an allergy to one of the ingredients. It could possibly be the garlic - so I may have to cut out this ingredient for her but I think when it comes to a dogs diet, common sense is the best course of action. Dogs naturally eat herbs. Anyone with a dog that loves grass can tell you that. But I think every dog is different, just like every human is different. I'm not supposed to eat any dairy, because every time I do, I get sinus infections. So I try to cut out dairy, its very simple.
And as far as vets go, some vets say its ok, some say its bad. I think it depends on the vets perspective. Some vets will tell you not to feed your dog anything but dry dog food, because meat is bad, but in the same breath they will prescribe a medication that causes liver damage.
To be a good dog owner you have to do your research, and like always, use common sense.
Post By Sammy'sMom (Guest Post)
RE: Is Garlic Good or Bad for Dogs?
Just like with HUMANS, some dogs can occasionally be allergic or have a bad reaction to certain foods. As a general rule though, like some other poster before me said, if your dog willingly eats it (in raw plain form I mean, not counting if it's hidden in something) it's probably not bad for it. Animals have usually got pretty good instincts about what to eat and what not to.
Having just read the post about garlic "locking up... (a dog's) brain waves" and nearly falling off my chair laughing... I would like to say that my dog is only alive because of the curative properties of garlic. She got pneumonia and nearly died, but I offered her stew with garlic in it, which she ate and began to improve.
Garlic has been known for it's anti-infective, anti-parasitic properties for centuries. If you eat alot of garlic mosquitoes will not bite you, you will not get seasonal colds and flus, and you will not have parasites. The same goes for most dogs. But as I said before, just as some people may be sensitive to garlic or other foods and might throw up or get the runs from it, so might some dogs. It's always best to start small and to offer it to your pet in it's raw form and see what your pet thinks. Oh and one more thing, if you feed your dog a clove of garlic on an empty stomach of course he's gonna throw it up, wouldn't you?? Man if I ate a clove of garlic on an empty stomach I'd be barfing for an hour. And that doesn't have anything to do with garlic being bad for me, and it doesn't mean I'm allergic to it. It simply means that garlic is potent and the empty stomach does not favor it.
Post By Mirage (Guest Post)
RE: Is Garlic Good or Bad for Dogs?
My dog has never had a problem with garlic, I have never tried feeding my dog onions. but i make home made dog treat and I have a solid group of people which works out to be about 40 different breeds of dogs and they all love the treats and none of them have ever gotten sick. I do however use garlic powder and there is not a lot of it used. It is used simply to give the treat a smell the dog wants. So in my experience no dogs won't get sick from cooked garlic powder.
Post By Enter your name. (Guest Post)
RE: Is Garlic Good or Bad for Dogs?
I have been giving our sheltie two or three slices of cooked garlic in his cooked eggs twice a week for three years now with no known ill effects. The dog is almost 14 years old now.
Post By sheltie owner (Guest Post)
RE: Is Garlic Good or Bad for Dogs?
I have had dogs for my entire life. They've eaten what I eat, including chocolate! My beagle mix Sugar used to get into our Trick or Treat pumpkins every year and eat whatever candy she could find, wrappers and all! And she lived to be 17. We have had other dogs, golden retriever mix was 18, springer spaniel well into late teens, even a shelty/jack russel mix who was 19 whose favorite treat was oreo cookies. ALL got "people" food as treats and all were as healthy as could be. Although I admit Sugar would sometimes vomit after eating an entire plastic pumpkin of candy, but frankly...who WOULDN'T?
I will continue to feed my furry babies whatever I am eating, and will sleep well at night!
Post By Lisa (Guest Post)
RE: Is Garlic Good or Bad for Dogs?
Point 1: I cook for all of my dogs. From time to time (perhaps once a week) I break two small cloves of garlic in half and boil them with the foods that I'm cooking for them. I never give them the cloves but the food then has the garlic flavoring. None of them has ever demonstrated a problem and they can't wait to eat the food.
Point 2: The A-Z Guide to Super Foods states that garlic has antiseptic, antibacterial and antiviral characteristics and should be used to prevent lung and bronchial ailments. It is an intestinal purifier and a worm deterrent. It helps remove waste accumulation from the blood. Garlic juice provide pets' skin with an odor that repels insects. Garlic cleanses the lower bowel of accumulated mucus.
Post By James (Guest Post)
RE: Is Garlic Good or Bad for Dogs?
Garlic is one of the most amazing herbs known. So why whould it be harmful to dogs? It will keep away flees, (and hopefully vampires). It has hundreds of uses for a human. MODERATION is the key factor, anything in large amounts can be dangerous.
Post By guest (Guest Post)
RE: Is Garlic Good or Bad for Dogs?
I have just srarted my Greyhound on brewers yeast and garlic [petco brand] chewable tablets, and I am hoping for good results.
Post By matt527 (Guest Post)
RE: Is Garlic Good or Bad for Dogs?
A lot of treat brands such as Zen Puppy and a few others use garlic in their products. My vet agrees that onions are very bad for a dog but garlic is only bad depending on how it's used and the dogs take on it, whether they have a reaction to it or not.
Post By Sav (Guest Post)
RE: Is Garlic Good or Bad for Dogs?
Garlic is not bad for your dogs, absolutely not! Please don't believe everything you read.
Post By Laura (Guest Post)
No garlic for my boy
My 14 year old chi mix boy has very sensitive skin. He has seasonal allergies just like people here in the South. Ever since he's been eating home-cooked food with minced garlic in it, he has developed some very bad topical skin problems mainly on his tail and rear end. He lost his hair around the area and I often found him bleeding from biting his raw skin.
My vet wanted to put him on a highly restricted diet with Purina dry food. Instead of trusting Purina brand, I just recently took him off garlic and put him on different soft food diet without garlic. His licking/scratching/biting have visibly reduced and his rear end is healing slowly. I can go to work without putting a collar on him.
My other 14 year old chi mix girl was (still is) on the same home-made food diet and has no visible symptoms.
So I think my boy COULD be sensitive to garlic.
Post By Sam (Guest Post)
RE: Is Garlic Good or Bad for Dogs?
I have fed my toy poodle boiled chicken with peas, carrots and either rice or pastina and have also added garlic - usually a clove for one chicken breast.+ a 1/4 cup of Merrick dry food. She weighs 6 .5 lbs and twice now she has throughn up - lots of phlegm and sometimes even foamy. She then has no interest in food for a while. I am thinking that strangely enough it is the garlic. I do not give her onions because of all the articles but I must say my other - same breed and size- didn't have this reaction - unless I didn't put 2 and 2 together.
Can it be that she is too small for any large amounts of garlic? I have used the flea treatment -Advantix for dogs 10 lbs and less and she had a reaction to the ointment on that spot - like a white flaky rash. What's your take?
Post By Bijou (Guest Post)
RE: Is Garlic Good or Bad for Dogs?
Garlic causes liver and kidney damage in dogs. Everyone keep saying their dog seems healthy and in great shape, despite a diet including garlic. That is because you cannot see the liver DAMAGE that occurs gradually. A large enough dose will shut down their kidney and liver in one shot, otherwise it is a slow gradual poison, accumulating damage over the years. DO NOT feed onion or garlic to your dogs, please!
Post By Mark, MD (Guest Post)
RE: Is Garlic Good or Bad for Dogs?
As a Natural Health Chef and animal lover, I would say that the best rule of thumb to follow is feed your pet what its wild counterpart would eat.
Cats and wolves (dogs) have been thriving for tens of thousands of years without our input on what they should eat. Only for the past 60 years or so have we decided that we are the authority on what our fury friends should eat. Funny, how our pets are now so susceptible to disease such as cancer and diabetes.
Wolves eat raw meat (generally smaller animals such as rabbit, fish and birds but also venison and caribou), raw bones (only cooked bones splinter), eggs, roots, fruits and vegetables. They do not eat grains, meat meal or additives. Wolves have also been known to eat homeopathic remedies such as garlic to keep away parasites and willow bark to help with aches and pains.
Cats are pure carnivores eating a diet of small prey such as rabbits, birds and fish. However, they will occasionally eat plant matter such as grass and catnip to help aid digestion.
With all of the commercial pet food on the market, it is no wonder so many of our pets have allergic and digestive issues. If your pet has a skin allergy, try taking him/her off of grains. It could also be an over abundance of yeast caused by too much starch and antibiotics.
Regarding raw meat; there are so many reasons why your pets should eat raw foods.
First Raw foods have digestive enzymes which can only be found in foods that have not been cooked, radiated or processed. Digestive enzymes aid in digestion and are essential for good health.
Second Cooked meat takes 4-6 hours longer to digest than raw meat. The longer meat stays in the gut, the worse for the digestive tract.
Three Raw meat creates more acid in the stomach to aid in the digestion of food. Yes, more acid in your stomach is good for you and your pet. Acid reflux and other acid related issues are caused by too little acid in your stomach.
Third Raw foods contain less free-radicals and more vitamins than cooked.
Fourth Everyone is so afraid of the bad bacteria in raw meat. Yes, bacteria can hurt your pet, but it can also help. The more bacteria your pet is exposed to (OK, there are some limitations) the better your pets immune system. Animals put their noses and tongues in nasty things all day long, much of which has worse bacteria than raw meat. Its better to prepare your pets for those instances then to compromise its immune system by trying to keep bacteria away from it. Also, when killing bad bacteria, you are killing good bacteria which is again, good for digestion.
Note: A poor digestive tract causes disease.
Regarding garlic wolves eat it, so why not your dog. If your dog is having a poor reaction it could be something else your dog is eating. Cats, however, do not eat it, so try rubbing garlic powder and brewers yeast on your cats coat to ward off parasites.
www.naturallyfreshfare.com
Post by naturallyfreshfare
RE: Is Garlic Good or Bad for Dogs?
We have 3 greyhounds and 2 lurchers (aged 3 - 10) one of which has a sensitive stomach. We've have been giving them a teaspoon of garlic twice daily on their meals for 3 years. In that time not one of them has had even the slightest of sniffles. Whether their not being ill is because of the garlic, I don't know, but it certainly hasn't made them ill.
Garlic is also great for keeping fleas and ticks at bay, as is brewers yeast. Brewers yeast can be added to the meals (we use about a level teaspoon on one meal) and applied directly to the coat if already they have fleas. Since using this we havent had a single instance of fleas or ticks, even in the height of summer, and we don't use any other treatments.
Post By Dan (Guest Post)
RE: Is Garlic Good or Bad for Dogs?
Raw garlic is the only beneficial form of garlic. Processed or cooked garlic degrades the active enzymes and useful properties of garlic.
As a researcher, I would try a small amount, and go from there. From what I have read here, raw garlic seems to work. Of course, medical practices may not want us to know garlic works well for healing pets.
Just like the pharmaceutical firms don't want people taking natural supplements because it cuts into their profit margins! Be careful of misinformation from the government or medical communities.
Post By Dr. E (Guest Post)
RE: Is Garlic Good or Bad for Dogs?
Dr. Richard Pitcairn, probably the preeminent authority on providing home made food for dogs and cats has garlic as an acceptable ingredient:
"Garlic helps to eliminate worms, strengthen digestion, and beneficially stimulate the intestinal tract. Use it to promote intestinal health. It is also indicated for animals that have been on a high meat or fish diet, and these that tend to be overweight or suffer hip pain from arthritis or dysplasia. Include fresh, rated garlic with each meal, using 1/2 - 3 cloves, depending on the animal's size. Cats can be given a 1/2 clove a day"
He has been providing home made recipes to address health issues in pets for 27 years. This quote is from his most recent book in its third edition. It's tried and true.
Post By DSmith (Guest Post)
RE: Is Garlic Good or Bad for Dogs?
I think that possibly some breeds may be more prone to ill affects from onions than others. I also think it's possible that since Garlic/Onion/Scallions are in the same veg family that garlic may be getting lumped into the mix becuase of reported issues with onion.
The bottom line to me is don't feed your dog something if you are unsure if it is good for them. I have a German Shephard and have decided to include garlic in his diet since I have seen so many posts from other GSD owners that have fed their dogs garlic with good results. If I had another breed I would probaly want some confirmation from similar owners that it did not affect them badly.
Remember that different breeds have different issues/tendencies so just research your breed and don't feed your dog something unless you are comfortable that it is safe. ANd if you did please don't knock yourslef out thinking you did something to harm your pet. We're all doing the best we can with pets/kids and everything else I'm sure. :)
Post By Roland Burt (Guest Post)
RE: Is Garlic Good or Bad for Dogs?
My shih tzu Daisy just turned 15. For the past year I've been feeding her a concoction of rice, frozen peas/carrots, ground turkey, garlic, onion. She's healthier than I've ever seen her on years of Science Diet (and her poops are tinier). I think the poison is all the filler they put in dog food. A clove or two of garlic can't be a killer in my book.
Post By Daisy's Mom (Guest Post)
RE: Is Garlic Good or Bad for Dogs?
My family have always fed garlic to our dogs, 1 or two cloves a month, raw either given like a pill (swallowed whole) or minced and mixed with food... I stopped feeding my dobermann garlic after I'd heard it was toxic, within two months her coat had lost it's shine, another couple of weeks and she was riddled with fleas for the first time ever...
After three months I decided to put her back on the garlic; 1 clove every two weeks, within six weeks she was back to full health, shiny coat, bright eyes, full of energy...
Large amounts of anything can be toxic... even water... Moderation is the key...
1 clove of garlic monthly = happy healthy dog.
Post By Big Ben (Guest Post)
RE: Is Garlic Good or Bad for Dogs?
Garlic has been fed to dogs for centuries as an effective flea control. I find it rather sad that so many people nowadays have no problem using dangerous chemical poisons on their beloved animals as long as these products carry a fancy corporate name and the magical word "medicated" on the packaging, but create some doubt about a totally natural and healthy product like garlic and there is widespread panic. I wonder if the pharmaceutical industry is behind this bad mouthing of garlic. Creating fear is a favorite powerful tool among politicians, clerics and corporations, and quite effective to their advantage. In this case it certainly cuts their profit if too many people use garlic instead of their high-priced poisons to control fleas on pets and farm animals alike. A similar trend is going on with commercial pet food versus home-made pet food. If you believe the manufacturers and most vets, your pets are certainly going to be prone to disease and short-lived if you dare to feed them home-made food. What happened to commom sense? Reading through all this, it is clear to me that this issue is certainly inconclusive, that a lot more research needs to be done before recommending against a proven age-old natural remedy and that like always and in everything moderation is key. I will continue to add garlic to my dogs' diet.
Post By Chris (Guest Post)
RE: Is Garlic Good or Bad for Dogs?
To Cheryl who just lost Sadie - I am so sorry. I know how you feel about giving your pet something that you believe might have caused them to pass away. Last year we gave a rawhide to our Sheltie, Jake, who died 3 days later. We didn't understand until we found out that it was a "recalled" item and that is why he died. My heart goes out to you. Time is the only healer. Today we are parents of 2 young Shelties. Time and their love are helping to heal our heart. I hope that your heart heals someday too. Don't be so hard on yourself. You did the best you could do for Sadie with only goodness in your heart. You didn't know that it would kill Sadie. It is not your fault. Take care.
Post By Kathy (Guest Post)
RE: Is Garlic Good or Bad for Dogs?
This is for Kitty and her 5 mo. chihuahua - most likely it was not the garlic, but the pork juice. My vet told me that most small, young dogs cannot tolerate pork. Even a little bone w/ marrow can react badly on them. Maybe you could check w/ yours?
Post by doodles
RE: Is Garlic Good or Bad for Dogs?
I had heard that onion was a no no for dogs, not garlic, but I was reading some information last week which stated that garlic was bad. Oh well, I've been feeding my toy poodle for years on cooked garlic with veges and cheaper cuts of mea,t and she is still enjoying life and her meals.
Post By doggy luv (Guest Post)
RE: Is Garlic Good or Bad for Dogs?
I have read some of the feedback below and most everyone seems to think garlic is fine.
My little dog Sadie died last week from AIHA (augoimmune hemolytic anemia). I have no idea how or why it began and I'm not sure how long she was ill. She had slowed down a bit, but we did not really notice anything was wrong until late last week and then it was too late.
AIHA can be caused from a number of things including a virus, a bee sting, a poison, a medication. The experts just don't know. Sadie hed all her shots last December which the doc says is too long ago for that to be the cause. The only thing I can think of is a change in her diet. I added an expensive freeze-dried raw dog food called Force to her diet recently because she was such a picky eater. Today I looked and yes, the food contains raw garlic.
Now I'm an emotional wreck. Could I have killed my own dog? I am devestated. I'll never know if this was the cause, but I'll never offer a dog garlic in the future. This food is going in the trash. I may try to talk to the makers to see what they say. I just don't know.
Post By Cheryl (Guest Post)
RE: Is Garlic Good or Bad for Dogs?
I fed my poodle home-cooked food because he just did not like the commercial pet food. He would rather starve even 3 days instead of eating that! Don't blame him, imagine eating the same bland food every day for years! I cooked large amounts of liver/kidneys or some other cheaper meat with vegetables and also onion and garlic (a few cloves at a time), and mixed it with either pasta or rice. Then divided it into a few portions and froze it until needed. He loved it and even lived over 15 years and never had a serious health problem in his life! Now I also mix commercial pet food with the same cooked stuff and feed it to our 2 dogs and they seem to be doing just fine. One of them is a Shiba Inu. He has a very sensitive digestion system but garlic doesn't seem to affect him at all. So thumbs up for garlic from me and my pack! :)
Post By Dada (Guest Post)
RE: Is Garlic Good or Bad for Dogs?
Wow! A lot of good info and personal experiences. I won't chance my dog's health on the slim (IMHP) benefits garlic might have for him; but garlic is clearly not poisonous to some dogs.
I think it's like with people, some dogs are allergic or more sensitive and some are not. Thanks to everyone who has posted, it's really helped me decide what's best for my dog.
Post By leegreen (Guest Post)
RE: Is Garlic Good or Bad for Dogs?
I have been feeding my dogs a home cooked chicken casserole with 2 teaspoons of minced garlic per about 1.2kg pet chicken mince for 11 years. I have not seen any visible signs that it is doing them any harm.
Post By Carol Clima (Guest Post)
RE: Is Garlic Good or Bad for Dogs?
My 5 month old Chihuahua started throwing up and had loose bowel movements last night and my daughter became very upset when I told her that I had put some juice from the pork roast which has garlic and onions in it, on his food, probably less than a teaspoon twice yesterday. She said that garlic is toxic to dogs so I came on the internet to find out what others say. Well, I still don't know if I caused the dog to be sick or not but I'll never give either of my dogs garlic or onions again. I love my baby too much to run the risk.
Post By Kitty (Guest Post)
RE: Is Garlic Good or Bad for Dogs?
Ginger is a min-poodle w/a Ginger color saddle. I found her at the city pound, where they estimated her age at 3 years. She is now 13 and still the bouncy pup when food is being served. Less an eye problem, she has been the most well dog I've had in my house. She has garlic powder added to her regular dog food near twice a month. Her Vet said she is 9.7# and most well. Doc also said that garlic addition is good mainly to keep down the Fleas/Ticks. I just sprinkle garlic powder on her DOG food near twice a month and sleep good at night knowing there is no 'addition' under her blanket. She has no people food but what is accidentlly added to the floor.
Post By Liz (Guest Post)
RE: Is Garlic Good or Bad for Dogs?
I have a 6 year old male shar pei who has always had garlic. He is fit and well and has never had fleas. We live in the UK.
Post By Enter your name.David Holgate (Guest Post)
RE: Is Garlic Good or Bad for Dogs?
I apologize... I said more than 1 bulb for a 40lb in my last post. I meant 1 bulb for a 44lb, but I'm sure you get my drift. Anything that seems like too much is too much. That's the best rule of thumb :)
Post By Charlie's owner (Guest Post)
RE: Is Garlic Good or Bad for Dogs?
So tonight I thought my dog ate a 3 oz. bulb of garlic (1 regular sized bulb, about 16 cloves). he's a 44lb schnauzer/terrier mix 2 years old. I searched the internet trying to find how much garlic is too much as I didn't want to have to pay th $60 for animal poison control since I felt like they would say not to worry. There are 2 postings above, one saying 26 cloves and another saying up to 50 cloves of garlic can be harmful. I decided to call poison control just in case. Just to share the information... They advised that 1 bulb is borderline for a dog his size and I should induce vomitting. So I got my keys to head out to the store to by hydrogen proxide and low &behold, there's the clove of garlic on the back deck that he carried out and decided not to eat which was good news for both of us. So I'm hoping my $60 spent on the call might help someone else out if their dog does the same thing.
Moral of the story here is that the postings of 26 - 50 cloves of garlic should not be followed as rule of thumb above. If it's more than 1 bulb for a 40 lb dog or larger, you should consult animal poison control or an emergency vet for help.
Post By Charlie's owner (Guest Post)
RE: Is Garlic Good or Bad for Dogs?
My 5mth blk lab/rottie mix has had really bad worms he is given the dewormer from the vet but when they do come out they are still alive and kicking! 2 wks ago I noticed worms crawling out all by themselves, I was very frustrated by this point until I read garlic kills them I have since given my dogs a little garlic (the kind that is already minced in a jar for the refrig that way I don't have to constantly do it myself) And am happy to say NO MORE WORMS! I will continue giving them garlic (in moderation!) and will def. tell all my friends the same!
Post By Enter your name. (Guest Post)
RE: Is Garlic Good or Bad for Dogs?
The internet, although very helpful at times, can be very misleading. I have spoken to a Vet. from the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center and she told me that my 60 lb. dog would have had to have eaten the equivalent of 27 cloves of garlic in one sitting for it to be harmful. People moderation is the key to everything in life. Just think about what your dog eats off of the ground when you're not looking.
Post By Ron (Guest Post)
RE: Is Garlic Good or Bad for Dogs?
I have been feeding my dog home cooked food since he was alergic to corn or wheat and have put garlic in it everytime for about 1 year. He is in great health. The vet even said he is in great shape. He has also had no problems with fleas and stopped sheading and his coat looks great.
Post By henkelhh (Guest Post)
RE: Is Garlic Good or Bad for Dogs?
I will never ever give my dog Sammy onions or garlic. They are toxic! I read in National Geographic, which is a highly respected magazine, that it harms your animal. So personally, I check everything that Sammy eats, from dog food to treats. Also, I googled dogs and garlic and read a few articles to back up what I had read earlier.
Post By Denise (Guest Post)
RE: Is Garlic Good or Bad for Dogs?
I had a little terripoo, (yorkie/toy poodle cross), at his heaviest he weighed 11 lbs. He had been extremely abused before we got him but turned into a wonderful little pet. He had 1 problem, he could not tolerate salt in his diet, it caused bladder problems. So I had to make his food for the 14 years we had him. On the advice of the vet I put some garlic and some onion in his food. He loved it and was healthy for 14 great years, sooo, that's what I know about it, but now have a shih tzu. She samples our food and if there is garlic has never had a problem, loves the taste. Perhaps the amount would be the problem and who would give their pet raw garlic?
Post By RE Sharpe (Guest Post)
For Dawn
I believe that is an Italian Greyhound.
Post By Cristy (Guest Post)
RE: Is Garlic Good or Bad for Dogs?
I was wondering what the breed of dog was posted under the comment by Alex?....Does anyone know? Thanks!
Post By Dawn (Guest Post)
RE: Is Garlic Good or Bad for Dogs?
I'll just add my 'good' opinion of garlic for dogs: Like many posts I have seen, I have been giving my (25kg) dog about a clove of (raw) garlic every two days with her 'home-made' food with NO ill effects. On the contrary, she is alert, energetic, playful and has a beautiful coat. That said, it might be the teaspoon of olive oil she also gets every day...
Post By Marc (Guest Post)
RE: Is Garlic Good or Bad for Dogs?
Your dog won't die from eating raw garlic. My dog seem to have caught a virus and I was to take it to the vet in a few days if still having diarrhea but an experienced friend of mine with dogs came over last night and said "Just give him a clove of garlic" but I didn't really feel comfortable with the idea since I had read before that it could be poisonous for dogs. She said that she's been giving garlic to both her dogs for many years and it kills just about anything, viruses, worms, etc. She gave my dog one and today he is just fine. I am still waiting to see if his stools come back to normal but he is just fine and not dead!!
Post By Alex (Guest Post)
RE: Is Garlic Good or Bad for Dogs?
I gave my dog about a spoonful size of garlic bread one night when we were having spaghetti. He's NEVER used the bathroom in his bed at night, in his crate! He not only used the bathroom everywhere, but there was blood in his feces and on his bed. A small amount, but blood! His nose area and mouth were very unusually pink. I'm sure he tried to hold it as long as he could, but when I let him out to use the bathroom when I woke up, he practically pooped water! Something was very wrong. I will NEVER feed my dog garlic again!
Post By Grace (Guest Post)
RE: Is Garlic Good or Bad for Dogs?
We feed our Dog, a German Shepherd, one tsp. of pressed Garlic in his Food every Day and he is doing extremely well.
Post By honest Albert (Guest Post)
RE: Is Garlic Good or Bad for Dogs?
I have also purchased FleaAway. Too soon to tell, but I called some other stores that sold it and only heard good things. Hopefully, no more Frontline for me.
Post By RS (Guest Post)
RE: Is Garlic Good or Bad for Dogs?
We use Flea Away From www.fleaaway.com
it has no garlic!!! and it works.
it helps there coat shine and keeps fleas away at the same time. i just don't want to tempt fate.
i just saw them in Dog fancy in July 2007 page 43.
Post By Paul (Guest Post)
RE: Is Garlic Good or Bad for Dogs?
I noticed that a lot of the pet foods that you buy have garlic in them. Must not be that bad.
Post By Debra (Guest Post)
RE: Is Garlic Good or Bad for Dogs?
I got my dog some garlic tablets and she threw up a few minutes later. My other dogs wont even eat them i guess they are to smart for that!
Post By Enter your name. (Guest Post)
RE: Is Garlic Good or Bad for Dogs?
I have been mixing a clove of raw garlic into my dogs' food with no ill side effects. They seem to enjoy it, and it has kept the fleas away.
Post By Amy (Guest Post)
RE: Is Garlic Good or Bad for Dogs?
Despite its healing qualities, Garlic contains a compound named thiosulphate. In extremely high levels thiosulphate can be a dangerous toxin that cause hemolytic anemia in dogs. But we're not talking about garlic dog treats, supplemental garlic, or healthy table scraps that may have included fresh garlic in the recipe. We're talking about situations where your pet sniffs out several bulbs of garlic you were about to use for a giant batch of homemade spaghetti sauce for the whole neighborhood and winds up eating 50 cloves in one sitting. We repeat . . . it would take up to 50 cloves for garlic to be harmful to your dog! 50 cloves of garlic wouldn't be a good idea for anyone, let alone your dog. In the event that your dog did get into a basket of garlic cloves, the symptoms of hemolytic anemia can develop within a few hours or a few days. Signs include vomiting, diarrhea, weakness, depression, and loss of appetite. If you see these symptoms in your pet and you're missing a lot of cloves of garlic, call your vet.
The bottom line there is that dogs and cats can get into many things around the house that are toxic if consumed in large quantities. But, when used in moderation, garlic can be a healthy supplement. According to Charlie Fox, the co-author of The Garlic Cure (McCleery & Sons, 2002), garlic can be used to stimulate and support immune function, trigger gastric juices for better digestion, encourage the growth of friendly bacteria, and prevent infections. He's seen garlic reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and cancer as well as improve blood sugar regulation and promote detoxification.
Post By I found this and hopes this helps... (Guest Post)
RE: Is Garlic Good or Bad for Dogs?
I live in Bali indonesia, I have been feeding my dogs home cooked soups of chicken - feet mixed in with rice. My vet here advised garlic was excellent for dogs. My dog is extrmely healthly & happy. I am now confused weather to continue adding the garlic to her diet??
Post By Joy (Guest Post)
RE: Is Garlic Good or Bad for Dogs?
We've had our English Springer Spaniel, Buddy, for 8 years. The only time he was sick was when he snatched a chocolate brownie from the back of our car coming home from a Xmas party. He was lathargic and feverish for 3 days. I now KNOW chocolate is toxic to dogs, but I would suspect it would have to do with the amount consumed and type of chocolate. Dark chocolate seems to be the worst. I now live by the "list of toxic foods" when it comes to our pets. Why take a chance?
Post By BOBBI (Guest Post)
RE: Is Garlic Good or Bad for Dogs?
thank you so very much i didn't know about most all of the foods i know a bout chocolate. and of course alcoholic, but the rest i always though were good for dogs """"
Post By kim miner (Guest Post)
RE: Is Garlic Good or Bad for Dogs?
I agree that it is the amount of garlic or broccoli that could have the poisonous effect, problem is, what amount would be too much? Every single pet is different and could withstand a different level of "poisoning". My little one is very sensitive and it wouldn't take much at all to make her sick; my german shorthair mix is a much larger size and apparently has a cast iron stomach and can eat anything. My last, dear, gentle, furbaby was a cocker spaniel and I fed her things that are on the list of things not to feed pets, this was before I knew such a list existed! I gave her grapes and raisins for little treats, fed her leftovers with cooked onions in it, and once gave her cooked pumpkin left over from a pie (which she vomited for hours on!) Dusty eventually had kidney failure and had to be put to sleep. It took me over ten years and a prescription for anti-depressants to get over the pain. Now, it could have just been that a dog her age would get kidney failure.....but, what if, it were the foods that I had fed her all her years with me? So, I do not feed anything that is on the aspca list, or anything that my vet says not to feed, or anything that is on the humane society list, because I just won't take a chance. Do my two furbabies realize that they aren't getting garlic, or broccoli, or chocolate? Nope, they don't have a clue; so, why even take a chance and give them those things?
Post by Persnickety Paula
RE: Is Garlic Good or Bad for Dogs?
(from another feedback)
From what i can understand about the garlic thing and broccoli thing... garlic and broccoli have to be eaten in large amounts for it to have a poisonous effect, onions are dangerous because they have much greater quantities of the poisonous element than garlic. So as long as your careful with the amount of broccoli and garlic and don't give them way too much, then they should be ok... At least thats what i've gathered from what i've read around, and the advice from my vet...
Cat >^..^<
Post by ThriftyFun
RE: Is Garlic Good or Bad for Dogs?
the foods that you should avoid feeding your dogs are:
garlic, raisins, grapes, CHOCOLATE, onions, and coffee. I am sure there are much more foods to be aware of but these are the ones i am positive you should avoid.
Post By jessamyn (Guest Post)
RE: Is Garlic Good or Bad for Dogs?
i was told by my vet never to feed animals garlic, and chocolate is fatal to both cats and dogs. i had a dog of mine who snatched a candy bar once, it gave her instant seizures and killed her in 3 days. the vet said all chocolate and garlic is fatal, it locks up their liver and brain waves. so please be careful!
Post By l dailey (Guest Post)
RE: Is Garlic Good or Bad for Dogs?
I know my dogs and cats have eaten onion grass from time to time, it is related to onions and garlic and grows naturally in the woods and in our yard. I wouldn't think that any plant edible to humans would be poisonous to dogs or cats, except for chocolate. I sometimes cook with onion grass. It's just like chives.
But then again, my dog once ate a half of a chocolate cake and didn't even throw up, so I would be inclined to doubt most horror stories of "poisonous foods" that will kill my pets.
PMZ
Post by Pauly-Wauly
RE: Is Garlic Good or Bad for Dogs?
Whoops! I'm very allergic to garlic myself.. it gives me a headache and sick stomach (though not as allergic as a friend who actually goes into anaphylactic shock if she accidently ingests it, and must always carry a syringe antidote with her) So.. given that I'm allergic I never have garlic in the house, and have never given it to my 2 cats (I don't have dogs) however I contribute to some earth/grass roots type magazines, and some people are fulsome in their praise of garlic for pets (including even hens) so I guess I still don't know!
Post By Ellie. (Guest Post)
RE: Is Garlic Good or Bad for Dogs?
I give my dog garlic and yeast tablets every morning. They help promote healthy skin and fur.
Paula
Post by escape4426
RE: Is Garlic Good or Bad for Dogs?
The site that I have used to find out about what is poisonous to dogs and cats is www.aspca.org and on that site it does list garlic as poisonous to pets. I am not willing to take a risk, so I just don't give my dogs anything with garlic in them. I make homemade dog biscuits and they love them just the way they are, so why even bother adding garlic?
According to the ASPCA:
Foods to Avoid Feeding Your Pet
- Alcoholic beverages
- Avocado
- Chocolate (all forms)
- Coffee (all forms)
- Fatty foods
- Macadamia nuts
- Moldy or spoiled foods
- Onions, onion powder
- Raisins and grapes
- Salt
- Yeast dough
- Garlic
- Products sweetened with xylitol
Post by Persnickety Paula
RE: Is Garlic Good or Bad for Dogs?
we use the brewers yeast with garlic tablets for our cat and he hasn't had any fleas since. He thinks they are kitty treats and won't eat any real kitty treats so is a weird kitty.
Post By Enter your name. (Guest Post)
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